System for the reduction of water contamination

Abstract

In some embodiments, a system may reduce contaminants in water. A system may include a biofilm in a container. The biofilm may be formed from one or more bacteria coupled to one or more substrates. The bacteria may be selected to maximize the reduction of contaminants in water. The system may include one or more bacteria generators to provide bacteria to the biofilm and/or one or more air sources to provide an air bubble stream to the container and/or the bacteria generator. In some embodiments, bacteria may be preserved in a starvation phase. Bacteria may be incubated until they reach a starvation phase. The bacteria may then be preserved as beads or immobilized on a substrate. The preserved bacteria may be used in a system for the reduction of contaminants in water.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for treatment of wastewater comprising:
 a substrate disposed in a container; 
 one or more primary adherer bacteria coupled to the substrate, wherein one or more primary adherer bacteria are capable of coupling to the substrate and one or more other bacteria, and wherein the primary adherer bacteria couple with the substrate such that the primary adherer bacteria are inhibited from being dislodged from the substrate during wastewater treatment; 
 one or more secondary adherer bacteria coupled to at least a portion of one or more of the primary adherer bacteria; and 
 wherein one or more of the secondary adherer bacteria are capable of reducing contaminants in wastewater while coupled to one or more of the primary adherer bacteria. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the substrates are hydrophobic. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the substrates are polyethylene. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the secondary adherer bacteria comprises bacteria in the genus  Pseudomonas.    
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the secondary adherer bacteria comprises bacteria in the genus  Bacillus.    
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the secondary adherer bacteria comprises bacteria in the genus  Agrobacterium.    
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the secondary adherer bacteria comprises bacteria in the genus  Enterobacter.    
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the secondary adherer bacteria comprises bacteria in the genus  Zoogloea.    
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the primary adherer bacteria comprises bacteria in the genus  Gordonia.    
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the primary adherer bacteria comprises bacteria in the genus  Caulobacter.    
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the primary adherer bacteria comprises  Caulobacter vibrioides  or  Caulobacter crescentus.    
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the primary adherer bacteria comprises:
 bacteria in the genus  Gordonia ; and 
 bacteria in the genus  Caulobacter.    
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the secondary adherer bacteria comprises:
 bacteria in the genus  Pseudomonas;    
 bacteria in the genus  Bacillus;    
 bacteria in the genus  Enterobacter;    
 bacteria in the genus  Zoogloea ; and 
 bacteria in the genus  Agrobacterium.    
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary adherer bacteria comprises:
 bacteria in the genus  Pseudomonas;    
 bacteria in the genus  Bacillus;    
 bacteria in the genus  Enterobacter;    
 bacteria in the genus  Zoogloea ; and 
 bacteria in the genus  Agrobacterium .